More than three months after the election on March 24, and after Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, prime minister and leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, secured his premiership with royal endorsement, the country still does not have a new government. This is a semi-power vacuum that is unprecedented in Thailand's political history.
Such a strange situation has triggered wide speculation among political observers.
While the executive branch is not ready, parliament or the legislative branch is going ahead at full steam. House debates convened yesterday with politicians from the opposition camp grilling and questioning the performance of the previous Prayut administration. Some also targeted the 20-year national reform plan introduced by the coup-installed body.
Gen Prayut, in a bid to douse public speculation, assured the new government would be formed by mid July, saying checks of the ministers' qualifications were under way. The prime minister is to travel to Japan tomorrow to attend the G20 Summit.
It is understood that he will likely send the cabinet lineup to the palace for royal endorsement after the G20 trip.
In what has defied political tradition, in which elected leaders will do whatever they can to start a new government, Gen Prayut, on the contrary, appears to be at ease, seemingly in no rush to name his cabinet.
"It will be finished just in time," Gen Prayut confidently told the media early this week.
He also hinted there could be some changes in the planned cabinet line-up, urging those who are to miss out from cabinet portfolios to concentrate on their role as MPs where they can also make a contribution to national development.
Others will have to take the positions of advisers for the ministers.
Previously, politicians pledging to join the Prayut-led coalition made news headlines as they fought bitterly for cabinet seats amid tense political bargaining, all of which led to a tremendously dent in public trust.
As formation of the cabinet is not complete, Gen Prayut still has two hats: that of the prime minister and leader of the coup-making NCPO body.
His foot-dragging on the cabinet matter has prompted suspicion among the anti-military bloc that the regime may want to "finish off some business".
They have every right to be doubtful.
Gen Prayut is obligated to speed up the government's setup, as it will take some time for the new administration made up of various parties to fine-tune and outline its policy announcement for parliamentary approval.
Besides, the delay in the government setup will deal a heavy blow to the country's administration and also budget allocation, which means some schemes and projects may not be carried out on time.
Although the ongoing grip of the regime does not violate the 2017 charter which stipulates that the NCPO will cease to exist after the new government is installed, the semi-vacuum of power does no good for the country's democratisation.
With the NCPO hat, Gen Prayut and his brothers in arms remain unaccountable at a time when the country is supposed to be embarking on its political road map.
Gen Prayut must follow political tradition and set up the new government as fast as he can.